A horrific case of a stepfather physically abusing his 4-year-old stepdaughter has come to light in Singapore, and it’s scary what the poor little girl had to endure, at the hands of a man who was supposed to be her ‘daddy’.
Abuse by stepfather in Singapore
According to The Straits Times, the abuse was most brutal and gruesome, and happened over a period of 2 months. In fact, this ‘list of abuse’ is most shocking and saddening:
- Late last year, the little girl was hit with a slipper on the head until it started bleeding. She was then repeatedly slapped and punched. This, because her ‘dad’ found some urine in the toilet.
-
It didn’t end there. When she smeared the blood from her hand and head on the toilet wall, the stepfather flew into a rage. He bit her arms, pulled her hair and kicked her abdomen, causing her to fall backwards.
-
He then punched her face and strangled her. He then punched her chest and twisted her arms. The girl cried and writhe in pain on the ground.
-
He asked her to stand up, but she refused. Furious, he stepped on her chest and pressed his right foot on the area at least four times.
- And that’s not all, it seems she was once hit on the head with the base of a broken fan.
This incident came out in the open when the girl’s grandmother noticed her swollen face and right arm the next day, and the bite marks on her arms. A police report was lodged, and she was given medical attention.
As a result of this torture, the poor child was left badly bruised, with a broken rib, and a buckle fracture on her forearm. Apparently, doctors found a total of 29 injuries on her.
It has also emerged that, the girl’s mother did try to intervene and stop the stepfather from committing his acts of cruelty, but she was scolded and slapped.
Stepfather jailed
The Straits Times reports that, yesterday, the stepfather was sentenced to 7 years’ jail and nine strokes of the cane.
Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Chua has said that that the prolonged period of abuse was proof that the stepfather wasn’t concerned about the child’s welfare and dignity. Apparently, the man’s unhappiness with his wife and desire for her attention, were some reasons for his cruelty towards the child.
Effects of abuse on children
According to The Straits Times, DPP Chua said that 551 child abuse cases were reported in Singapore in 2015, and 873 in 2016. This is so sad. We don’t have the right to inflict pain on little children, and take advantage of their helplessness and vulnerability.
As parents, many a time we might take out our own frustrations on our kids. The physical pain will eventually pass, but the emotional pain will last long after the visible wounds have healed. This is how repeated abuse affects the child’s social and emotional development:
- Depression and loss of self esteem: Abused children have trouble managing their emotions. They may act withdrawn, fearful, depressed, have low self-esteem, or engage in self-harm, like cutting. In extreme cases, they might even contemplate or attempt suicide. Some kids become bullies and have problems managing their anger, some suffer eating disorders.
Many have nightmares or trouble sleeping. In this case, a child psychiatrist has reported that the girl would wake up frequently at night and be scared by the very mention of “daddy”.
Children may also encounter learning problems and find it difficult to focus. They may feel worthless and damaged.
- Relationship issues: Victims of abuse usually have trouble developing and maintaining relationships. They find it very difficult to love people or to know who is trustworthy. As adults they are unaware of what a good relationship is. They may even end up being fearful of other adults.
- Troubled adult life: When abused or neglected children grow up, they are more likely to abuse their own families and use violence to solve their problems. They are also prone to substance abuse like alcohol or drugs, and risky sexual behaviour.
Also READ: Father accused of sexually abusing daughter in Singapore
(Source: The Straits Times)
We want to hear from you! Share your thoughts and comments with us in the Comment box below. Like us on Facebook and follow us on Google+ to stay up-to-date on the latest from sg.theAsianparent.com!
